


Our Journey

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: General, Post-War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2012-07-27
Packaged: 2018-03-22 07:32:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3720386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lothiriel and Eomer meet at Cormallon, and what happens afterwards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

**(Field of Cormallon.)**  
My father walked up to me with a man whom I recognized from Amrothos' description. The new king of Rohan.  
  
"Not now father," I sighed. "I told you, no more of the ridiculous eligible bachelor speeches, or I am going to pour this wine on your head. I'm sure you haven't forgotten what happened last time."  
  
"This is not going to be so," he promised. "I hope your brothers have told you about him. This is Èomer King. Èomer, this is my daughter, Lothíriel. She is my youngest child. Be wary of her, while I sort out an argument with Faramir and Elfhelm."  
  
"Of course Imrahil," he said courteously. "Lady Lothíriel, will you dance with me?"  
  
"Well, anything to get away from these drunkards," I gesture to my too-drunk brother, who had his head resting on the table, snoring softly.  
  
"Amrothos?" the Rohirric king asked amused and smiling.  
  
"Naturally," I took his hand and stood up. "He always has to become unconscious before leaving a party. How many cups of wine did you have?"  
  
"Why such a blunt question?" he twitched a smile.  
  
"I have no intention of dancing with a man who has two left feet or had far too many mugs of ale," I declared to him.  
  
"I have neither qualities Lady," he twirled me around. "So I expect to be a better dancer than some men here."  
  
"Like my brother?"  
  
"Yes, exactly so," he agreed. "Have you heard about the rumours about my new position as King?"  
  
"Which rumours?" I queried him. "The new King of Rohan needs a wife or that you are just here to criticise our horses and cavalry discipline?"  
  
"Both," he shrugged.  
  
The music slowed to a stop.  
  
"What amazes me," I said. "Is what these people believe and how far they can stretch such a small piece of information?"  
  
"Come, I will serve us both a drink," he ushered me to the drinks table.  
  
"My thanks Èomer King," I sipped at my wine. "Why did my father introduce me to you anyway?"  
  
"I want to put a question onto you," he said slowly. "Rohan is in hard times. My people have a King, but no Queen."  
  
"What are you saying my lord?" I asked him, completely taken a back.  
  
"I put forward to you the question of becoming my wife," he said.   
  
At that moment I ran, ran outside into the growing mist. Shock, anxiety, fear, ran through my veins, how could I have responded except to run?  
  
"My lady!" he called out after me, following me only to the door.


	2. Apology

A few days afterwards, my father sent me to fetch Èomer and bring him to Elessar's tent on the Pelennor field. I found him near the Houses of Healing. As I approached him, he looked up at me, with an expression of guilt.  
  
"I know I shouldn't have left you there," I apologized to him. "I was overwhelmed!"  
  
"I'm a King with no Queen," he explained. "When your father introduced us, and our first conversation was started, I could see a leader of her people. You are great ambassador of your country, I am not a man of foresight, but I can see you ruling Rohan with me."  
  
"You are the King of a country far away from my seaside home," I said with sadness. "I am not accepting defeat. I will decide if this alliance is to happen. Come, you are to go to Lord Elfstone's tents. Your sister is recovering well I hear?"  
  
"Yes," he agreed. "She is my family, I have always looked out for her; isn't that the instinct that all older family member have?"  
  
"Indeed," I said. "My brothers can act like such mother-hens to me sometimes."  
  
My mother had died five years prior to the Downfall of Sauron.  
  
"My apologies," he said sympathetically. "Go back to the citadel; we will talk soon, yes?"  
  
"Of course," I smiled. "Next time we will have to talk for longer, and get to know each other more if I agree to your proposal!"  
  
 _He was so well spoken, that I was sure he didn't speak like that to my brothers and father._


	3. Conversation

I looked for him from the high tower or Ecthelion every day after he left for his own country to rule. When he came back, for his uncle's body, I was glad that he had come. I had made my decision, and approved of by my father. Èomer was being welcomed by Elessar and Arwen when I walked into the throne from of Minas Tirith. There was a huge feast and I always glanced towards the King of Rohan, too shy to talk. By the time I had finished wallowing in my shyness, he paled.  
  
"My lord?" I asked, rather concerned. "Are you well?"  
  
"No, I'm quite alright," he replied, colour coming back to his face. "I was deep in thought and memory."  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked.  
  
"Yes lady," he reassured me. "You need not worry. Tell me how you have fared since I left."  
  
"I have decided to agree to your proposal," I said quickly. "It took much thought, and much talk with my brothers about you. I even researched your country's history, all that the Minas Tirith library could tell me. What of you?"  
  
"I am glad of this news," he smiled with a sort of relief. "You have made a very grand decision, and with your father's consent, I hope to bring you to Rohan for my uncle's funeral so I show you Rohan. It has been very hard organising my country from nothing."  
  
"When you build a house," I said remembering a quote from years gone by. "You must make a strong foundation, and the rest is easier; as the masons say."  
  
"Very well said," he nodded. "With limited livestock, and damaged crops organising food, I needed to go all around Rohan, ordering the grain houses to be opened for seed that are only for this sole purpose. Then distributed all that to farms that had nothing but dust in their fields."  
  
"Consider that grain doubled by my land," I said, quoting what my father had said that I should say. "We need to start ruling a country now or come winter, we will all suffer. There is much to be done if Rohan is to prosper like it used to before the wars."  
  
We started talking about politics of our countries and of warfare and tactics. He told me of their horses that run free that they trained themselves trusting enough to harness and ride for almost anyone. I pondered the fact that they were so loyal to their riders, and he descibed the ways they get the horses to trust someone using the horse's language, instead of cruelty. I told him about the swans that dwell at the Anduin delta and how I found a new species of swan, travelling northward from the south. They weren't the white ones from the delta; they were a magnificent black, with red beaks. He was most impressed with that. We talked nearly every day from then. And within three months, we were wed.


	4. Dual

One year later, I found myself in the midst of an argument. I was watching Èomer and his men going through sword drills, as I usually did in the afternoon, when Elfhelm suggested that Èomer should get me to verse him in a friendly dual. I protested at first, and held firm.  
  
"No!" I yelled, as he gently tugged in my arm to the middle of the yard. "No! I can't do it!"  
  
"Yes you can!" he smiled. "I've seen you wield a sword myself."  
  
"But that was against orcs, not you!" I put forward. "That was only in self-defence and to protect my home."  
  
"I did that nearly every day during the war," he shrugged.  
  
"This is different Èomer!" I looked at Elfhelm with hate. "I am not going to fight you or your men."  
  
"Then how are you going prove to us that you are not completely useless in battle?" he asked, putting a wooden practise sword in my hand, I swing it at him and strikes his forearm. "That's not nice."  
  
The men stared and leaned in.  
  
"Be quiet!" I winced, and struck his other arm. "And that, that is for being such provocative man!"  
  
"Now that is not polite or ladylike," he sarcastically said.  
  
A couple of the men chuckled.  
  
"My king, I must agree," I said as we begun to dual. "I'm your wife. I can say what I think to you."  
  
"You are a sly woman," he said as I changed sword hands to my proper hand.  
  
"I say again to you; I am your wife," I tripped him over quickly by kicking his leg and a hack to the back of the knees. "Do you yield?"  
  
"Yes," he nodded, dusting himself off. "Well played Lothíriel. Next time, keep to your sword hand."  
  
"It is good to learn with both I reckon," I wiped the sweat off my hands. "If you use your bad arm and get it injured, go to the better arm and get the opponent twice as hard; in the head."  
  
"I will keep that in memory next time we practice with orcs," he chuckled.  
  
************  
  
It wasn't long after, that a messenger from Gondor arrived. Èomer explained what had been arranged.  
  
"Aragorn and I are going to hunt what is left of the orcs," he shrugged off his chainmail.  
  
"Where will you find them?" I asked, as I picked the heavy chainmail up and put it on the stand.  
  
"East, in Rhûn," he sighed, rubbing his shoulders. "That is the only place they can go without our allies killing them."  
  
"How many men you take?" I asked, making him sit down on the edge of the bed and started massaging his shoulders.  
  
"As many as I see fit to," he murmured.  
  
"Come back safe," I said as a warning. "I don't want to see you come back with stitches or missing a limb."  
  
"Don't fret Lothíriel," he turned around, and took my hands in his. "I will come back; I am King and a War veteran. I have had enough experience with orcs to know they won't dare to kill me. You are a fantastic queen! Everyone knows that. If you have any trouble you can send word to my sister, alright?"  
  
I nodded, and rested my head on his shoulder.  
  
"You have helped open my eyes to the new world where I don't have to look over my shoulder for shadows and fight them all the time," he whispered, and leaned his head on mine.


	5. Battle and Waiting

It wasn't long after, that a messenger from Gondor arrived. Èomer explained what had been arranged.  
  
"Aragorn and I are going to hunt what is left of the orcs," he shrugged off his chainmail.  
  
"Where will you find them?" I asked, as I picked the heavy chainmail up and put it on the stand.  
  
"East, in Rhûn," he sighed, rubbing his shoulders. "That is the only place they can go without our allies killing them."  
  
"How many men you take?" I asked, making him sit down on the edge of the bed and started massaging his shoulders.  
  
"As many as I see fit to," he murmured.  
  
"Come back safe," I said as a warning. "I don't want to see you come back with stitches or missing a limb."  
  
"Don't fret Lothíriel," he turned around, and took my hands in his. "I will come back; I am King and a War veteran. I have had enough experience with orcs to know they won't dare to kill me. You are a fantastic queen! Everyone knows that. If you have any trouble you can send word to my sister, alright?"  
  
I nodded, and rested my head on his shoulder.  
  
"You have helped open my eyes to the new world where I don't have to look over my shoulder for shadows and fight them all the time," he whispered, and leaned his head on mine.  
  
********   
  
Within the week Èomer had organized about twenty thousand horsed men, and four thousand infantry. Aragorn and his men arrived three days before they all left for Rhûn.  
  
"Fare thee well my lord husband," I said to him after I helped him fit into his armour, instead of his esquire.  
  
"Only for a short while," he squeezed my hands.  
  
"I know," I said quietly, as he turned to leave the room. "Èomer! Before you go, I need to tell this last time that I love you."  
  
"And I you, dearest one," he cupped my chin before gently kissing my trembling lips and hugging me. "What did you say? Speak up. Hmm?"  
  
"You have a child," I whispered louder.  
  
"I swear an oath to you now that I will see to our child has his father home by the end of this spring," he swore, a hand over my stomach, with a fierce look of love and dedication.  
  
"We'll be waiting for that day," I smiled.  
  
******   
  
(Winter….)  
  
"No word yet?" I asked a guard, he shook his head with a sad smile. "Thank you."  
  
************   
  
(Early Spring……)  
  
I had managed to leave Edoras with Elfhelm and travel in a horse-cart to a small castle that was being sieged by our men. Two days after my arrival, in the midday sun, Èomer had stopped only for food, after battling all day, when I noticed a deep gash on his forearm.   
  
"Lothíriel!" he gaped. "Nothing happened to me!"  
  
"It has to stop, now," I said to him.  
  
"We've all most overrun the place," Èomer stood up slowly, swallowing his last mouthful of bread. "I need to get back."  
  
"No!" I hiss, pressing his shoulders down, to make him sit. "Not yet, I'll have to bandage this well before you go. Don't flinch; it's bad enough as it is! Go. And be more careful!"  
  
(Later that day……)  
I grabbed Aragorn's arm tightly, who was walking past with his healing thing and nearly dragged him to my bloody husband. I gesture to the bloodied bandage.   
  
"You can't be serious Lothíriel, it's just a scratch," Èomer stared at Aragorn and I.   
  
"I have to and don't argue with your wife," Aragorn started to unbandage it and prepare a needle and thread. "Lothíriel?" I hit Èomer across the head. "Thank you. Drink this while I stitch it."  
  
"We lost about a hundred and fifty so far since it started back start of winter," he winces at the tugs of the stitches and swallowed the rest of the wine.  
  
"That is better than during the war," Aragorn agreed.  
  
"At least we had one person who knows all the hiding places," Èomer chuckled.  
  
I look at Aragorn, puzzled, knowing he will know the answer.  
  
"Being an ex-ranger has to count for something," he shrugged.  
  
"Too right," my husband nodded. "Lothíriel, how are you?"  
  
"Tired," I sigh. "All you men are walking around as one drunk."  
  
"Go on then," he turns me around by my shoulders. "To bed."


	6. Elfwine, Our Son

(Mid-Summer……)  
Elfwine was but a newborn at the time, and as a family, we visited Aragorn and Arwen. It was warm a warm afternoon, and our son began to cry. The King and Queen of the new Kingdom had come to our quarters to talk.  
  
"Someone is tired Lothíriel," Arwen smiled at him.  
  
"Ssh, quiet now," I held him to my shoulder and started rubbing his back. "Time to sleep little boy."  
  
"Sing to him," she suggested.  
  
"I don't sing," I said truthfully. "I'm not much of a singer anyway."  
  
"Sing to Elfwine," Èomer urged.  
  
"Pass me that leather book on that table Èomer," I said defeated. "It's got all these song in it. Which one? The Hatred Lullaby isn't good enough for him."  
  
"What about that Sleep Song?" Aragorn reminds me. "The one that you said your aunty sang to your cousins?"  
  
I remember my aunty; Finduilas saying to me that she used to sing a song that would help Boromir and Faramir go to sleep. It was always one of my favourites.  
  
"I have that one!" I flicked through the pages with one hand.  
  
Aragorn gently moves my hand away from the book and searched for me. It didn't take long, and so I sat in my cushioned chair next to the window, and lay my son down on my lap. Aragorn put the open book on the small table in front of me. I look up at his grey eyes and smiled my thanks. He smiled back.  
  
Lay down your head  
And I'll sing you a lullaby  
Back to the years  
Of loo-li, lai-ley  
And I'll sing you to sleep  
And I'll sing you tomorrow  
Bless you with love  
For the road that you go  
  
May you sail fair  
To the far fields of fortune  
With diamonds and pearls  
At your head and your feet  
And may you need never  
To banish misfortune  
May you find kindness  
In all that you meet  
  
May there always be angels  
To watch over you  
To guide you each step of the way  
To guard you and keep you  
Safe from all harm  
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-ley  
  
May you bring love  
And may you bring happiness  
Be loved in return  
To the end of your days  
Now fall off to sleep  
I'm not meaning to keep you  
I'll just sit for a while  
And sing  
Loo-li, lai-ley  
  
May there always be angels  
To watch over you  
To guide you each step of the way  
To guard you and keep you  
Safe from all harm  
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-ley  
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-ley


	7. AUTHER'S NOTES

Just want to say, that I wanted to base a story on that song, and it reminded me of Elfwine somehow, so I did, and as a result, the story! Copyright to songwriter and Tolkien.


End file.
